


It’s Not a Deathwish (It’s a Promise)

by Neon_Morphile



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - Prison, Anal Sex, Arson, Betrayal, Bottom Gerard Way, Escape, Fingerfucking, Gun Violence, Happy Ending, Hostage Situations, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Porn With Plot, Prison Sex, Revenge, Smut, Top Frank Iero, Work In Progress, i need holy water, im v busy so update will be slow, there was no plot in the beginning but it happened so whatever, trust me - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:55:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21573352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neon_Morphile/pseuds/Neon_Morphile
Summary: Frank more than fancies his red-haired cellmate but never touches him until one night, something unexpected happens.---*Chapters Added*Upon bonding with Gerard, Frank decides to play with the biggest fire he'd ever been introduced to. Men on both sides of the law are hunting them down--it's them against the world.
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way, Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph (Mentioned)
Comments: 48
Kudos: 112





	1. Emancipation (Not Really)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, if you came for some sinful stuff you've come to the right place.  
> Enjoy.
> 
> *I use the word 'kid' but no one is a minor here. Frank is in his 30s and Gerard is in his 20s.

The walls were thin. Not the exterior, of course. The walls separating cells. They certainly had no interest whatsoever, the bastards who had constructed this hellhole of a prison, in possibly soundproofing the walls thereby saving hundreds of very much fatigued, if not horny, inmates, from occasional echoes of dudes fucking their sweats off in cells at nights. Sometimes, Frank would let out irritated groans and shut out the sounds with the floppy pillow he was provided or maybe lose his shit and growl out incoherent threats at the fuckbuddies lost in their ecstatic haze. He did this once and came back the following day with a black eye and a cracked rib so never tried it again—not because he lost but because it got the other guy and a guard into operating tables and also a six-month extension for his term. At other times, however, he would silently jack off imagining a certain face. A face of someone he longed to but used all of his willpower to not dare touch.

Tonight was the case for the latter. Maybe it was because the moans weren’t all gross and dry but soft and muffled. Maybe it was because they were streaming in from right next door. Maybe it was because he hadn’t gotten laid in a while and his dick craved some serious attention. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because he could barely hear the redhead under his bunk shifting and pleasuring himself as well.

Fuck, the sheer thought sent all of his internal heat to his crotch he might as well have dropped dead from blood deficiency to the head.

The obscene noises from their neighbors served only as a fuel for his wildly circulating thoughts. Frank had never seen or heard the very boy he lusted after touching himself even once in the last two months he’d been with him in the same space. That had discouraged him from ever asking the exquisite creature to perhaps let him lend a hand or maybe a cock to ‘relieve’ his first days of confinement stress. There always was an option, of course, to force himself on the boy but Frank was anything but a rapist (he was an unfortunately caught arsonist) and he never even dreamed to cross the line although that line was quite blurred all around him. As far as he knew, the dainty little redhead was clear of any assault infliction so far and Frank wanted to keep it that way.

But now, what the fuck? His own hand was stopped on its way past the waistband of his boxers because every fiber of his being was straining to hear more of the hardly audible sounds from under his bed. Tyler and Josh next door weren’t helping much. If Frank was not delusional, the boy had undone his zipper for the jumpsuit, exposing his bare torso—he didn’t wear a tank top under like Frank—freed his member from the restraints of his underclothes, was stroking it as noiselessly as possible, and stifling the whines against the crumpled up blanket. He could fucking see all of this happening as though it were being put on show for his two eyeballs. It took every bit of sanity he could muster to stop himself from flinging himself down and offering to fuck the guy senseless.

Feeling incredibly tempted to jerk off to the sounds but at the same time afraid he might ‘get caught’, Frank stayed motionless and controlled his breaths while listening to his cellmate definitely approaching climax. It felt very possible for him to groan from pleasure even without touching anything just by concentrating on the redhead’s breathing getting rather out of control despite his pathetic attempts to scatter the oozing moans. With one final strained cry thankfully drowned out by Tyler’s, he seemed to have reached orgasm after which a more content, composed breath escaped from his lips.

That was hot. _Fucking_ hot, if you ask him.

Now, all Frank had to do was wait for the boy to fall back asleep to resume his own case. He stared at the blotches in the dark ceiling wondering how long he’d have to wait before his aching erection was to be soothed down. It might even take two rounds or three, he thought, after that kind of salacious concert for his ears. He knew he might come if he gave his shaft just several pumps what with all that—

“Frank,” a worn-out voice called.

Frank froze. Blood chilled in his veins. He was more nervous than the moment he was arrested by the cops or the day he got his sentence, with some stretch.

“…Yeah, Gerard?” he responded after a few panicky seconds, voice off-key. There was no use in pretending to be asleep judging from Gerard’s tone.

“You can breathe now,” his cellmate giggled. _Giggled_. Like he hadn’t just given Frank a major boner with his very presence. The blotches in the ceiling started to swirl above his wide-open eyes. What the hell was the little shit doing? “Or.”

“Or?” Frank accidentally thought out loud. Gerard laughed softly, again.

“Join me?” the redhead suggested in a voice the arsonist never knew he could use. “I’m still a little fucked up and maybe I could use your help if you’re willing. Are you?”

Frank was so shocked he almost altogether failed to articulate how much he was willing— _had been_ willing—to help alleviate Gerard’s supposed-to-be-nonexistent sexual frustration. He fumbled with words in his head before he could properly manage out a presentable sentence. Which was: “Fuck yeah.”

They didn’t waste any more time or words. Frank climbed down, or more like flew down the mini ladder and situated himself atop of the sweat-slicked figure of the boy with flaming red hair that was slowly being pushed out by his dark brown roots at this point. He hadn’t noticed until he looked for the waistband of Gerard’s boxers that in fact, it wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Feeling down the boy’s thighs, Frank realized that the jumpsuit was completely off and that the underpants were hanging somewhere along the knees.

“Didn’t take you for a handsy top,” Gerard commented, snickering.

“No, I-I just—”

“Thought I’d been jerking off? Sorry to disappoint. I was keeping myself prepped for you.”

“Fuck,” dazed by the confession, Frank panted out. He was completely wrong. Gerard had been _fingering_ himself. Shit just got too real too fast. “Implying that…?”

“It’s okay for you to fuck me. With your cock.” The little tease trailed up his hard-on with his finger, lingering on the tip. Frank shivered at the contact and suddenly got another idea. He was like a snowball hurtling its way downhill; there was no way to stop his growing sense of arousal and dominant side.

“Why don’t you suck me off first, and then I’ll think about giving it to you good,” Frank lowered his head and whispered the words into Gerard’s left ear. He was pleased to hear the redhead gasping as if the idea occurred to him as sexy enough.

After briefly suckling along his jawline and practically ripping the boxers off the boy’s legs, Frank got out of the bottom bunk and half-forced Gerard on his knees. Then he stepped out of his clothes, too, and caressed the chin of the kid he’d been wanting to keep in this position for two agonizing months, lifting it to make him meet his eyes flashing with heavy lust in the dark.

“If you suck like a good slut, I might let you come when you please, Gerard.” He didn’t know how much of degradation this boy could put up with, so bit his tongue afterward when his habit slipped. But it seemed so that this kind of talk only aroused his cellmate even more.

A few stray strands of red hair fell over his eyes as he nodded and mouthed, “Yes, sir.” This was way too good to be true.

Frank tucked the hair away to scrutinize the beautiful hazel eyes which were dimmed by the lack of light. He knew he had to settle a few things before they actually began. “I tend to get carried away. If you’re fine with some playing around, we should discuss safewords.”

“I wouldn’t do this for a boring, mediocre sex. New Jersey.”

Frank couldn’t be happier to see how things were turning out. At every turn, there was a pleasant surprise. “New Jersey, it is. One more thing. Are you clean? My most recent check-up tells me I am.”

“I’m clean. I can prove it. And please call me Gee,” he requested. That was massive progress after two months of trying to settle with a pet name for him as, well, cellmates, and Frank decided to believe the innocent gleam in those eyes.

“Alright, Gee. No need to prove it. Open up,” he commanded. The redhead eagerly complied.

Willing himself to stay as gentle as he could compared to his routine behavior with others—as it was their first sexual encounter after all—Frank landed his thumb over Gerard’s tongue neatly covering his lower row of teeth and pushed his length past the moist lips. Immediately, an astounding level of bliss sparked up along his spine at the warm, damp sensation doing wonders for his cock. Boy, was Frank so, _so_ wrong to think this creature was inexperienced. He had the skills of a professional whore and not even whores he’d used before were half as good as the fucking _incubus_ latching onto his erection in the name of Gerard Way, #328921. Frank’s left hand slid to grasp a handful of the vibrant red hair and he thrust his hips in time with Gerard’s unfaltering rhythm until the boy had the tip of his cock gliding beyond his tonsil. For a few seconds, he seemed to be fighting with his gag reflex and grabbed at Frank’s thigh for support. However, he got the hang of it in no time after Frank awarded him with dirty little praises and an encouraging pat on the head.

“Ah…fuck, look at me, Gee,” Frank sighed amidst the sweet delirium. The redhead was so focused on his performance and trying not to die from asphyxiation that he didn’t process the order. Frank put in force in his tug on the roots as a warning, successfully yielding a pained whimper from the younger. The delicate eyes, now laced with an odd mixture of discomfort and rapture, flickered up to meet his predatory gaze. Getting what he wanted, Frank made a guttural sound at the blatant exhibition of absolute submission and utter beauty. He loved that Gerard’s eyelashes were slightly glistening with tears that didn’t fall. His first climax wasn’t far off. _First_.

Soon his movements became jarred and jagged. Hot breaths seeped at short intervals from his chapped lips and Gerard must have sensed it, too, because he was all over Frank’s cock as if trying his hardest to help him through the best goddamn orgasm ever and was making all sorts of noises around his shaft. When he knew he was dangerously close, Frank roughly pulled Gerard off by the hair and came hard on the boy’s face, shooting strings of his seed right over his eyelids and down. He’d contemplated having him swallow his jiz but thought it would suit the newly acquired bedmate better for him to wear his first trophy in display while Frank fucked him into the shitty mattress. If it was even possible, he almost instantly got a signal for a second hard-on as soon as he saw his own cum smearing the angelic visage. Then Gerard ventured to solidify the signal by licking the drops that had dripped down near his mouth. He opened his eyes and grinned.

“Yours isn’t so bitter,” he remarked in a hoarse voice. “I like it.” He rubbed off some of the white substance from his cheek and licked that, too, off his fingers so profanely even the Virgin Mary herself wouldn’t have been able to save him from eternal damnation had she tried her damnedest.

“I never told you to try it, did I?” Frank towered over his prey and asked in such a menacing tone the playful smile dissipated from Gerard’s face at once. He succumbed to his place as a sub and almost looked terrified, glancing up like that in a frozen state.

“N-no,” he admitted, then quickly added: “…Sir,” for his own safety.

Frank clicked his tongue. “Pity you won’t be able to cum at your will tonight. You were doing so well, Gee, and you had to fuck it up at the last moment.” Gerard faintly whimpered at the statement, finally breaking the gaze he had been so bravely maintaining. He looked down at his lap and awaited whatever sentence Frank had for him to oblige to next. “Get up and get in bed,” the older instructed, though before the boy could stand himself, he held him firmly by the upper arm and basically threw him back on the bunk bed. Gerard’s head hit the cement wall and he let out a yelp. Frank paid no attention to that, however, and merely adjusted their position so that he was now seated between the redhead’s legs.

Before proceeding further, Frank glanced around but couldn’t find what he was looking for. “What did you use for lube?” he asked.

“Uh—spit? Sir,” Gerard hesitantly answered. Frank knew saliva wasn’t going to be enough, enough to save both him and the boy—especially the boy—from the major pain of dry penetration. But he had nothing on himself right now and it wasn’t like either of them were willing to drop this because of that factor. They’d have to make the most of what they had.

“Suck,” Frank frowned frustrated and growled as he held out two fingers in front of Gerard’s still-slimy lips. Gerard was about to say something but seeing his expression, nodded and took the two digits in his mouth, sucking on them as though they were Frank’s cock from earlier. “That’s good,” the arsonist snapped, pulling out his fingers. A long, opaque thread of saliva connecting the two inmates broke as he retracted his hand. Then Frank inserted his spit-coated fingers inside the redhead’s entrance, basking in the tightening around his flesh and the unexpected sharp moan that bounced out of the younger’s throat. Like Gerard had said before, most of the prep work was done so there wasn’t too much for him to do. Nonetheless, he worked his way in and tried various motions with his two fingers which induced desperate noises from Gerard and a _lot_ of squirming. He slapped the side of the boy’s thigh to get him to stop moving about so much. “Behave and stay still, slut.”

“But-but fuck, ah, Frank, I c-I can’t—”

Frank decided he would let go of the slip up because he was enjoying this too much. Oh, how he had envisioned a sight like this countless times for such a long fucking time. They had all night and no one was in a hurry. He could take it as slow as he wanted and watch the fine specimen melt down into a puddle of moans and groans underneath him. He knew he was brushing the kid’s prostate once in a while because the sounds would occasionally jump an octave and Gerard would be pushing down on his fingers begging for more.

“More what?” he’d ask, hovering over the writhing body while leisurely pumping his fingers in and out of the hole. Frank sounded oblivious and carefree. It was sure to be driving his unfortunate cellmate crazy, all for his entertainment.

“More—more…no, just, please…,” Gerard was on the verge of actual tears.

“I don’t know what you mean, Gee. Please what?” He quickened his pace to make a point as well as make it harder for his prey to make a coherent demand.

“Oh…Fuck you!” Then his eyes snapped open, realizing what he had done. “I-I mean, sir, ah, it’s—”

Frank’s eyes darkened, and he pulled his fingers out entirely. “Surely you mean the other way around,” he intoned, now meeting Gerard’s horrified gaze from directly over him, hands enclosing each wrist and pinning them over his head. The redhead gulped and nodded, not daring to make a sound. Some of his hair was in his right eye’s way. They were stuck to the sweaty forehead and making him look even more like a cornered animal. Frank was fully aroused, all right. “Be a good boy for me and beg.”

It took a few attempts for Gerard to bring out his voice, but he got it in the end. “Please…please fuck me, sir.”

Did Frank need more than that?

Absolutely not.

He beamed a short-lived smirk down at the trembling mess under his weight and hooked one of the kid’s legs over his shoulder in one swift movement. To please him, Gerard was keeping his arms where they had been affixed and gripped the edge of the mattress to find himself some physical support. That was a good choice because Frank was certainly not the gentle type and all his wariness for the well-being of his ‘partner’ dissolved once he was in. In other words, his inner bestial instincts took over. The poor boy was in for a ride—quite literally.

After spitting on his palm several times, Frank urged Gerard to do the same. He slathered the vulgar concoction on his hard shaft and lined himself up with the entrance. In spite of biting furiously down on his lower lip, Gerard let out a cry that was big enough for anyone within a three-cell radius to hear when he pushed in. As much as Frank wanted to let everyone know that the redhead was for him to use, he didn’t want to cause too much trouble that would be a nuisance for his mundane, otherwise placid prison life. He quickly clamped his hand over Gerard’s mouth and hissed: “Shut the fuck up, you whiny bitch.” The boy gave small nods with teary eyes but Frank couldn’t fully trust those wanton vocal cords so he kept his hand there until he bottomed out. A pathetic whimper escaped through the fingers and his eyebrows furrowed from the dull throb. Frank felt the body he just penetrated tensing up like a taut rope. He also felt, and this was an understatement, _fucking_ heavenly.

Speak of tight. Even with all that prepping and toying around, Gerard was so deliciously tight around his member Frank might have taken him for a virgin. He decided to say that out loud. “Fuck, Gee. You ever taken a dick? How the fuck are you so goddamn tight?” He removed his hand from the mouth and clasped his fingers around a clump of hair instead to let the boy speak.

Except he wasn’t exactly able to speak. Gerard’s knuckles were drained white from gripping the edge of the mattress so hard. Shallow breaths indicated he was busy coping with accommodating the thickness invading his intimate area. “I-I’m not…I’m—yes, j-just been a while…sir,” he finally panted out. A tolerable answer.

“That blowjob performance got me thinking,” Frank grunted as he backed out a little and then slammed in again, “you’d been slutting around so much your hole could take my cock with ease. Never mind that, whore.”

He began to find a nice rhythm to rock his hips to. Gerard was sputtering underneath him, clearly suffering from the piercing ache but not complaining. His leg soon slid down and they settled with wrapping both legs around the arsonist’s waist. Frank usually downright plowed into his victims right away but pitied the beautiful boy and gradually picked up his pace. Sooner or later Gerard would get used to the feeling and join in the fluid movement. The creak of the shit quality bed got louder and louder as Frank let go of his cool façade. He was high on the luscious friction.

When he looked down, he didn’t like how his cellmate was turning his head to the side, gritting his teeth to suppress the sounds and pressing his eyes closed. Frank wanted to bore into those jewel eyes and witness the pupils dilate the moment he hit his prostate. He gave a tug on the hair and forced the boy to face him. “Fucking open your eyes for me, Gee?”

Gerard’s complexion was slightly contorted due to the kind of pain Frank would seldom experience but he knew better than disobey the orders given. Frank let out a low groan seeing the misty eyes flutter open. He licked up the briny liquid ornamenting the corners of his eyes while not letting the pace slow down. Then intoxicated by the taste of the redhead’s skin, he left bruises blossoming on the neck, jaw, and collarbones. The unmarked skin fascinated him. Unlike Frank, who had tattoos filling up every inch of available space from the neck down, Gerard had none decorating his flesh and the stark contrast between the two of them intrigued him even more, in a sensual way. He’d heard about the boy’s fear of needles and thought what a shame, he’d look even more stunning with a tattoo or two.

While Frank was half lost in thought, he must have accidentally prodded Gerard’s sweet spot because the kid barely stopped himself mid-shriek and flung his arms around his neck. Frank stopped his thrusts for the first time and smiled. The base of his stomach was nearly hurting from arousal and pleasure.

“You liked that?” he whispered into the shivering boy’s ears.

“Yes—fuck, please…please don’t stop, Fr—,” he caught himself while stammering, “—sir, I’m _begging_ you…” Gerard broke down into a soft sob.

Frank hushed the boy by gingerly pressing his lips against his and chuckled. “Well, since you asked so nicely…”

The tender moment didn’t last long. Before Gerard knew it, Frank had assumed his violent self again and was madly pounding into him while initiating an equally ruthless kiss. He bit his lip to subdue the euphoric screams and drew blood which he thirstily lapped up. It didn’t take much effort to get his tongue inside the younger’s mouth as the kid was only just managing to keep himself together from the overwhelming bliss. Frank explored every nook and cranny of Gerard’s damp inner warmth where his cock had traveled minutes ago. Like an insatiable hunger was manifesting vigorously in his body, the older inmate tasted all there was of the crimson-haired nymph he was sure the boy was. Gerard moaned into the kiss like there was no tomorrow and Frank responded with his own. At this point, he couldn’t care less about other inmates hearing them make such a bawdy fuss. All he could feel now was the boy’s fruity taste and the peaking pleasure sending his mind elsewhere in the universe. Every hair on his back stood up, and Frank knew he’d come soon.

So would Gerard.

This thought briefly crossed his mind, so he reached for the redhead’s erection caught between their bodies and grabbed it at the base to prevent him from climaxing. He didn’t know if his cellmate could go without touching his cock but it was better to be safe than sorry. Contentedly reveling in Gerard’s half-moan half-sob, Frank rode out his orgasm in erratic thrusts and groaned into the younger’s exposed neck. Everything felt hazy for a while. He continued slow, languid movements to deal with the afterglow and sighed wearily. He almost forgot about the boy’s unattended climax until he heard broken whimpers cascading from the clammy body underneath. Now that he regained his senses, it was possible for him to flash an evil grin down at the suffering kid. It was utterly gratifying for him to see that tears had destroyed the beautiful face.

“Sir…please…I need to—I need to cum.” He sounded like he didn’t even have the strength to beg or stress his point anymore. His chest rose and fell rapidly.

“And what can I gain from that, Gerard? What are you willing to offer?” Frank pressed down on the tip and slowly scratched the side of his shaft. This sent the redhead digging his heels on the mattress and crying even harder.

“Ah—Anything! Any-any fucking thing you want,” he frantically promised. What a huge mistake.

“Anything, you say?” Frank’s eyes twinkled.

“Y-Yes, just please—oh, _god_ ,” he cried as Frank gave him a few test pumps.

“Shhh,” he shushed the boy as if he hadn’t caused him pain and continued. “I want to make this a regular thing. I want to claim you and tell every fucking person under this roof that you’re my bitch and my bitch alone. And in turn, I can guarantee your safety until you get released. I’m stuck in here five months longer than you anyway. How’s that sound, Gee?”

Despite his circumstances, Gerard was hesitant. Frank was afraid for a second that he’d plucked the wrong chord but his worries vanished when the boy nodded several times. “Yes. Yes, sir. I’m all yours.” The throaty approval did nasty things to his brain.

Frank smiled again, more satisfied than ever, and removed his thumb from the tip as well as help the kid reach his peak by jerking him off. “Good boy,” he cooed, as Gerard threw his head back and put on display the most intense orgasm Frank had ever witnessed coming from a person. The entire block was sure to have heard him, but this time Frank was glad. Proud was a weird way to put it, but there was some of that, too. He’d made him feel this good.

Ignoring the presence of their sticky bodily fluid making a mess in a lot of places, Frank finally pulled out of Gerard and lay next to him although there wasn’t much room. The redhead placed his head on Frank’s arm and rolled into a fetal position by his side while the older absentmindedly fiddled with his hair. It was almost as if they were a normal couple after sex, cuddling and all. The high was over and the peace of night visited their cell.

“Hey Frank,” Gerard mumbled, clearly sleepy.

“What?”

“That was good,” he said. “Hot, I mean.”

Frank could tell the kid was smiling and blushing even without looking at his face. This guy was more of a mystery than all the Seven Wonders of the World put together. At first, he thought he was even asexual, then he’d shown him that he might as well be as needy and skilled as a whore. But the innocent coyness showed up now and then like he couldn’t make up his mind whether to be a shameless slut or a shy damsel. What was up with Gerard Way, Frank couldn’t know.

“Thanks. You were a spectacle yourself,” Frank answered. Then he had to ask. “Were you serious when we came to that little ‘agreement’?” He’d spotted the split-second hesitance and wouldn’t let it go undealt with.

His cellmate went quiet for a few seconds but opened his mouth at last. “Yeah. I meant it. But…”

Frank’s heart dropped for no particular reason. The _tone_ he used. “But?”

“It’s complicated. I’m not…I’m not free, you see.” He struggled to explain, but it got Frank even more confused than before.

“Nobody’s free here, Gee. It’s called prison for a reason.”

Gerard laughed halfheartedly. “That’s not what I mean. I’m bound to someone out there.”

“Bound?” Frank’s heart was racing. “As in a relationship?” Suddenly he felt like he’d wronged the boy lying next to him in every way imaginable.

“A relationship of some sort, I guess. It…it has to do with how I got in here.” His voice got smaller to a volume just above a whisper as he concluded the sentence. Like he was frightened the walls might hear. Gerard had never shared what he’d done to serve a sentence of three years and four months in this place. Frank couldn’t help feeling he got whisked in something bigger than he had pictured. At the same time, he had a strong drive to protect the fragile little thing from any outer threat.

“What is it?” he asked. “For the record, I can keep secrets.”

“I don’t doubt it. I’m glad you were assigned as my cellmate.” Gerard pulled the covers just over their waists although they had to get out later to clean themselves.

“So?” Frank pushed when Gerard said nothing for a while.

“Long story short, I’m kind of like a forced mistress to an underground mob boss. Cops got around to him and I was put in here in his stead. One of his henchmen was put in the same block as me but he got transferred to block 9 yesterday. I know it sounds like a shittily written movie script but…yeah. That’s what’s happened. Heck, I don’t know why I’m telling you this…”

“No, I believe you,” Frank quickly responded before Gerard would slip into a state of regret. “So that’s why you were so…‘quiet’ for the last two months? Because of that guy?” He couldn’t bring himself to say ‘distant from the concept of sex’.

“Mmhm. As soon as I mingled with anyone, he could report it to his boss and I would have to endure whatever torture he has for me either in here or once I get out.” He sounded so miserable Frank wanted to squeeze him in a hug to tell him everything was going to be fine. He also wanted to burn the shit out of the mob boss or whatever fucktard Gerard’s abuser was. Maybe it was a little too big a dream for a single arsonist, but hey, what _couldn’t_ fire do? Frank was already very much infatuated with the celestial creature he couldn’t think straight about anything regarding the history and safety of him. This was definitely more than just a breeze of lust. He was certain he would have fallen in love and all that shit like now with Gerard had they met outside the walls.

“Gee,” Frank gently called, turning to lie on his side so he could meet the redhead’s eyes. Their gazes met in the middle. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. In here or outside.”

Gerard seemed moved but stared at him puzzled. “Thanks…but I get out of here five months earlier than you. And you’re not an influential figure, no offense, at least not enough to get me out of the shitstorm.”

“I can figure the first part out. There are ways.”

“What ways?”

“Maybe become a model prisoner and get released on parole. Or break out,” he suggested. The second option seemed more probable and thrilling.

“You’re crazy. You’ll only extend your term,” Gerard exclaimed although he kept his voice low. However, Frank couldn’t unhear the hope in his voice.

“It’s doable. And don’t call me uninfluential because you hardly know what I can do,” he promised in a rather threatening tone. He’d been lying low for way too long. Perhaps it was time to stretch his limbs and show the world what Frank Anthony Iero was capable of. Burning an underground organization down to the roots didn’t seem like that hard of a task. It would take time and discretion and a hell of a lot of fuel, but it wouldn’t be impossible. For him. “I’ll bust them up.”

“…I don’t know what to say,” Gerard confessed, getting fidgety with his hands. “I’ve never been offered help before. I’ve never confided in anyone. What do people usually say to this kind of promise?”

He pondered this with no good result. “Never had the chance to say something like that, either. Give ‘em hell?” Frank shrugged and brushed away the obstinate bundle of hair that kept on falling over Gerard’s eyes.

“That’s so corny,” the redhead remarked, faintly smiling. “Bad writing material.”

“Life in general is bad writing, kid,” Frank said.

Gerard rolled his eyes and huffed. “Don’t ever call me that. Makes me feel like a hormonally imbalanced teenager.”

“Noted,” the older smirked. He proceeded to plant a kiss on the forehead of the pouty ‘young man’. It must have mollified Gerard’s conflicted mood considerably. He suddenly reached up with his hand and pressed his lips against Frank’s for a prolonged peck which then developed into a slow, calming kiss. When they broke it off, there was a residing glint of tranquility and budding trust in their respective eyes. Odd. The night was incredibly odd.

“I never thought I’d ever say this kind of stuff,” Gerard started. “Maybe something’s gotten in my head. I think I might be mad, Frank. Desperate, more likely.” His hand was still resting on the older’s cheek but his gaze was lingering blankly on his chest.

Frank raised his eyebrows. “Care to elaborate on ‘stuff’?”

Gerard sighed and looked up again. His voice somewhat shook when he intoned the seven words that etched their way into Frank’s heart.

“The only hope for me is you.”


	2. Emancipation (The Start of It)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so a lot of people requested a second chapter so I present to you the second chapter! 
> 
> Enjoy.

They had to be stealthy about it. _Extra_ stealthy, since it was a literal prison break, after all. It had taken a year for them to come up with a meticulously planned escape as well as furnish themselves with the needed tools. Though an unfortunately caught arsonist, Frank was not like any other thoughtless maniacs who played with fire just for the sake of it. For each flame that he helped bloom, there had been a sophisticated story behind it. He was an artist—and a smart one. That’s why he always emphasized the ‘unfortunately.’

Waiting until Gerard’s official release was of course the sanest option out of all available options within the category ‘prison break’ (the model prisoner shit was ruled out the first week), but it didn’t take much time for them to come to a joint agreement that they couldn’t wait that long. And the surprise element would play an important part once they get to the actual difficult part of bringing down the underground goliath. Once they got out, there would be no time to dawdle. They’d have to strike the network down immediately before words slipped that Gerard had escaped and the bastards worked out what they were about to deal with.

Luckily, Frank was smart, and even more luckily, they had quite useful friends inside and outside of the confinement facility. Frank wasn’t much of a social person but he wasn’t the worst, and it turned out that Gerard was a darling charmer what with no eyes on him to restrict every single movement that he made in block 7. He was able to win the hearts of plenty of inmates and Frank, being his ‘package deal’ as the redhead liked to put it, could get along well with a number of them. So there were reliable channels for acquiring the necessary equipment. What’s more, Gerard was able to befriend a certain guard who seemed to have a soft spot for him. Not in a romantic way, but it seemed like he was a terribly nice guy in general. Ray Toro was his name. He would soon be a vital key to their successful escape and also promised connections to men with firearms who’d aid them in their suicide mission. At this point, Frank wasn’t sure what the guy’s purpose was; he looked and talked nice, but the more they got to know him, the further away he appeared to be from the law that he enforced as a job. Frank decided not to question it, though. All that mattered as of now was getting the fuck out of prison.

“Are you ready?” Gerard asked him, which was funny because his voice was noticeably shaking. He stood before him, the crimson in his hair more vibrant than ever. He had insisted he must dye it back (he got the dye from one of his ‘friends’) just before the execution of their plan for god knows what reason but Frank didn’t stop him because he liked the hue. It reminded him of fire.

“Well, are _you_?” Frank answered by asking back. He was nervous too, but Gerard was fidgeting every goddamn second that day that he had to soothe him so the guards wouldn’t take notice of the unusual behavior. Frank needed him steady and focused.

“I honestly don’t know,” the redhead confessed. “I’ve never broken out from anywhere without getting caught, you know.”

This made Frank clench his teeth. He’d heard about the many cases of Gerard’s escape attempts and failure back in the mob along with the details of what ensued. They had had enough time to open up to each other during the one year that they spent together closer than ever. Upon hearing the monstrous brutality of the boy’s torturer, Frank wanted more than anything to rip out the heart of that motherfucker with a red-hot set of tongs. But there was one thing they had to accomplish before it came to that. Breaking out.

“We can do this, Gee. In just a couple of hours, we’ll be breathing in city air,” he ensured him. He placed his hands gently on Gerard’s shoulders.

“Hopefully. But then we won’t have time to even rest. We’d have to—”

“Now, don’t fret about it already. One step at a time. Just one. Okay?” Frank looked into the worrisome hazel eyes that refused to meet his.

Gerard bit his lower lip and pondered his words but finally made up his mind and met the gaze. “Okay. One at a time.” He faintly smiled. If it were any other day or hour, Frank would have been obliged to crash their lips together and swallow up that beautiful smile in a messy kiss, but now was not the time. They needed to stay levelheaded.

They were currently inside one of the large cabinets for cleaning tools where most inmates usually snuck into for a drag or a breathless quickie. The guards were supposed to forbid that, of course, as the prisoners had to be within their vision during the time spent on the yard, but exceptions were always made through trades or deals. Right now, the two of them were able to prepare themselves for the imminent departure thanks to Ray. They had changed into prison guard outfits under their jumpsuit and had handy tools in their pockets. Having two layers of clothes made the movement somewhat sluggish, but it wouldn’t be a matter soon.

The bell notifying them of the termination of the short break rang out throughout the yard. Gerard’s head perked up, his eyes growing even wider. Shouts of the guards rounding up the inmates for supper could be heard through the door. They had to get out right now, but Frank wanted to do one more thing. He cupped Gerard’s cheeks gently and made him meet his eyes again.

“Hey, relax,” he said.

“Easier said than done,” the redhead grumbled somewhat weakly. But it was said with a touch of affection.

“I need you to trust me, and I need you to be calm.” Hell, even _he_ wasn’t sure of himself, but Gerard didn’t need to know that. The younger stared at him for a few seconds and then nodded, placing his hand over Frank’s. It was lightly trembling, not to mention considerably cold and clammy.

“I’ll try my best,” he replied.

Frank smirked and gently kissed him on the nose. He couldn’t resist it. “I’m sure you will.”

The tone that the guards initially used was not in the slightest nice, but now it was getting downright hostile and rude. Frank sighed and dropped his hands to cautiously open the door. Gerard closely followed him outside. They mixed in with the lot lethargically dragging their feet to where the lines were, not forgetting to squeeze each other’s hands once before letting go. It lasted for a brief moment, but one of the guards didn’t miss it. It was that particular lanky one with blond hair and smug grin whom Frank had shown the most flagrant hatred towards all throughout his prison life. The guy plausibly kept tabs on him for some reason and really seemed to enjoy mocking him. As soon as Frank got close, the slimy bastard tapped him on the shoulder, sending a perverted gaze toward his lover.

“Had fun back there?” he cackled.

It took all of Frank’s willpower not to reply with a sharp uppercut, but he managed to hold himself back. If he lost his shit right there, they’d have to scratch a year’s worth of planning. “Yeah. I’m sorry you weren’t invited. We had cake and tea.”

The guard’s face turned mildly red with anger, but then he found peace again. “Very humorous, Iero. Invite me next time so I can have a share of your loverboy and tea.”

Frank’s hands curled up in fists and he felt white fury engulfing his mind, but Gerard’s cold hand gripped his wrist and he was thrown back into reality. “Come on, Frank.” His voice was controlled and stern. It helped Frank breathe fine again.

“Yeah, go on. You’ll be late for the main course,” the guard mocked, but Frank ignored him and walked on side by side with Gerard. He’d later find that fucker’s house and burn it down to the roots.

They chose the seat closest to the wall and corridor once they were inside for the last meal. Ray was standing on his post near them and gave them a short nod to show that he was ready for the crazy deviation. He purposely had positioned himself there to help them escape. Frank acknowledged the sign and then looked down at his plate of shitty prison food which he knew he wouldn’t be able to digest anyway. In less than five minutes, they’d be getting out of the room. Gerard barely poked at the meatloaf and looked ghastly white. The moon would have been learning to pale from him if it had been nighttime. Frank tried his hardest not to appear fidgety or on edge—come to think of it, why was he so damn nervous? He’d done even more dangerous things that put his own life at stake, but this was going to cost him more years in prison tops if they failed. Then he realized. This wasn’t just about him anymore. This was also about Gerard, his safety, and their future together, if they had one. Suddenly the insides of his mouth turned sour. That was some heavy load.

However, he didn’t have time to ruminate on the difficult subjects. Before he knew it, Ray was faking that he got a message from his boss from his earpiece and was walking over to them. Frank gulped, knowing that the time had come. Now would come the complex part of the plan.

Gerard visibly winced when Ray laid a hand on his shoulder and spoke to them. “I need you and you to come with me,” he ordered in a rather convincing ‘guard’ voice. He could sound pretty authoritative when he wanted to; after all, it was his job.

Frank feigned defiance and obliviousness. He had to be in character before the eyes of many. “What for?” He leaned back a little and put on a rebellious smile.

“I am under no obligation to answer that question, Iero. Just do as I say and there will be no problem. This applies to you, too, Way,” Ray strengthened his grasp on the redhead’s shoulder and urged him to stand up.

“Fine, but go easy on him,” Frank muttered as he took his time rising from his seat. He couldn’t act too unruly—that just wasn’t him. He hoped Gerard wouldn’t overdo it, too, but the guy was just plain scared out of his wits from the looks of it. It wasn’t overly weird, though, considering the fabricated situation. So the two of them followed Ray out of the room with hundreds of eyes on their backs and whispers simmering behind them.

They didn’t say anything to each other while they walked down the hallway because it was too risky to engage in any conversation that might give away what would be happening. A few guards and janitors did pass them by, so it was good that they had been extra careful. They didn’t stop until Ray got them to a certain point that was out of the surveillance camera’s view which was also leading to the janitors’ locker room. According to Ray, hardly anyone frequented this room and there was another door on the other side, so they could get out through that route so that their sudden disappearance and the emergence of two new guards wouldn’t seem connected. The act would be read sooner or later, but right now, what mattered was buying time with the most of what they had.

So the two renegades hurried into the locker room and flicked the light switch on. Ray was waiting outside the door in case someone approached the room. Once they were out of their jumpsuits, they would knock on the door and Ray would come in, too, to tell them the precise escape route with a blueprint of the facility. This was the furthest point Ray could accompany them because although he was willing to help, he wasn’t willing enough to get caught and end up as their cellmate. The presence of Ray with two other guards would say too much.

Gerard was obviously paranoid. Even though the small room was completely dark before they came in and the air was stale from practical disuse, he insisted on checking every corner of the room before they went about undressing.

“Gee, we’ve got no time, please hurry?” Frank tapped on the top of the lockers impatiently. Gerard flipped his hair back to see him and he looked a little agitated.

“I’m taking no chances.”

“There _will_ be no chances if we don’t time this right,” Frank countered. He decided not to wait for him and zipped his orange jumpsuit down. It felt good to rid himself of the despicable attire since it was getting notably stuffy to walk around in layers. Sure enough, sweat had begun to form and drip down his skin.

“There. We’re safe,” Gerard called out and returned to Frank’s side.

“Good. Now let me help you get that off.”

“Y’know, under different circumstances, I would’ve been turned on by that sentence.” Gerard threw a half-smile in his direction and Frank couldn’t believe his ears. Was he joking around right now? And out of all jokes, a sexual one? But he took that as a good sign because it meant the boy had the capacity to make jokes, meaning he wasn’t likely to collapse from an anxiety attack on their way to freedom. Also, Frank was feeling sorry about what he said as well.

“Not the best time to give me a boner, Gee,” Frank laughed a little as he helped him hop out of the suit.

“I guess,” the redhead replied and folded their discarded clothes neatly in squares.

“Alright, I’ll call Ray in.” Frank patted the crumpled parts of his guard outfit down and walked to the door to knock two times. Soon, their trusted ally slipped inside and closed the door behind him.

“Okay, huddle, now, lovebirds.” Ray fished a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket and spread it on one of the benches. Frank and Gerard quickly placed themselves on each side and took a look at the blueprint. “So, you know you can’t just walk out trusting your disguise skills, and like we talked about it multiple times before, you need to take a different path.”

Frank nodded. “Yeah. Ventilation system.”

“That’s right. But since this isn’t a Mission Impossible scene, it won’t be as easy as it looks in action movies.”

“That, I figured,” Frank chimed in. He couldn’t help thinking about how much noise would be made if two guys with masses such as theirs banged their way through a steel-made ventilation system. Though it was their only means of escape right now.

Ray pointed at one of the paths marked on the blueprint. “This is the hallway on that side of the room. You’re going to take that one. And then you’ll walk straight, pass two turning points, until you get to the third one. You have to take a right there.” He followed the path they would be taking with the tip of his finger and Frank glared so fiercely at the paper in an attempt to accurately memorize the way that he was sure he could burn holes in the thin sheet.

“And then?” Gerard spoke up for the first time. Frank’s gaze flickered over to him for a split second.

“And then, just three yards in, there will be an opening to the ventilation—one large enough to fit an average male figure. But it’s pretty high, so you might have to help each other out.”

“We’re quite a team, don’t worry,” Frank remarked. He didn’t look up, but he knew that Gerard had smiled.

“The way out from here is not that complicated, thank god. Now, both of you, memorize this well or you’ll find yourself in the warden’s office.” Frank shivered at the thought. Ray continued, oblivious. “First, go straight. Next, take the first left you see. Then you’ll get to the fork. Take the one on the right. If you take one more left, you’ll get to the big fan and the tunnel exit. Hey, have you got that screwdriver and nipper that I told you to get? Because you need it at this point.”

“Yeah, I have the screwdriver,” Frank answered and flashed his small screwdriver that was in his pocket to Ray.

“And I have the nipper.” Gerard tapped his pants pocket. He had earned these precious tools by trading things with other inmates, a.k.a. ‘friends’.

“Great. To stop the fan, open the box on the wall next to it and cut the—”

“Blue wire, nothing else. We know.” Frank finished that sentence and waved it off because they had run simulations over a hundred times and heard the process repeatedly from Ray except for the directions.

“Yeah, yeah. Because once you meddle with other stuff in there—”

“The alarm will be blaring and we’ll be dead meat,” Gerard monotonously cut him off.

“Or we’ll blow something up and explode,” Frank added.

“I see what you mean by being quite a team,” Ray huffed. He didn’t appreciate being interrupted twice all too much, but there was amusement in his expression. “Anyway, this is where it gets a little challenging because you might have to engage in physical fights if necessary. The exit leads straight to the perimeter guard’s post, and if there’s anybody there then, you have to put them to sleep.”

“Or down.”

“Let’s avoid homicide, shall we?” Gerard grinned apprehensively at Frank’s blank face.

“I’ll try,” Frank mumbled. He was not a murderer, not a deliberate one anyway, but didn’t live by the code: thou shall not kill. If something was obstructing their passage, they had to get rid of it. Gerard seemed to be strongly opposing the idea of taking anyone’s life, but since what they were about to do once they were free was killing a hell of a lot of people, Frank considered that attitude a little contradictory. Nonetheless, he saved themselves from a meaningless quarrel by keeping his mouth shut.

“So we fight off the guard, take their card, and walk free, right?” Gerard asked.

“Not as simple as it sounds, but that’s the general idea. There will be a door to another hallway, but this time, you’ll only have to take one right and go straight, pass two heavy doors, and then you’re back in civilization. The important part here is not getting noticed by others, so please do keep your head down and don’t act suspicious,” Ray pointed at Gerard’s face. He was usually terrible at acting natural, so understandable. “You’ll be out through the back door, where there’s a fence, but your card will get you through the door attached. Then run for the forest.”

“Run for the forest and we’re gone with the wind,” Frank whispered. He frowned but internally, he was smiling because of the anticipation and the thrill. It was the kind of thrill he hadn’t experienced in quite a while. _Breaking the law_. That was _fun_.

“That’s it, right?” Gerard checked.

“Yes, but you’ll meet my guys in the forest. The ones I told you about. They’ll give you guns and go with you,” Ray concluded.

“How…why do you help us, Ray?” Frank blurted out the question he’d been holding back for a long time. Now that their plan was being realized, he just couldn’t believe a normal prison guard would aid them so much not only for the escape, which was already a massive deal, but also for bringing down a giant mob…Frank was never a true believer in ‘altruism’, if this could be called that.

“Do you really have the time?” Ray raised his eyebrow.

“…No.” Frank shrugged.

“Let’s just say I hold a personal grudge against who you’re up against,” the guard said, and then pursed his lips. It was a clear sign that he didn’t wish to discuss it further. And whatever it was, this piece alone startled Frank. He didn’t think Ray would have any connections to Gerard’s forced partner. So out of the three, Frank might actually have been the odd one out.

“That is not surprising at all, he has at least a thousand enemies,” Gerard commented with distaste. “But I agree about there being no time. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Yeah.”

They stood up and Frank shoved the folded blueprint in his chest pocket in case they needed a peek at it. “Thanks, Ray. I mean it.”

“No problem. Just end that bastard for me.” Ray held out his hand. Frank shook it firmly and then watched him sharing a hug with Gerard.

“Hope we get to see you again outside the walls,” Gerard said. He broke the embrace with misty eyes. Frank could understand—they might die tonight or tomorrow. The chances were more than just high. He liked to believe in luck, though, so refused to take a bad result into account. Maybe that was his primary weakness, and what got him in prison in the first place.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Ray gasped and turned to open a locker. While Frank and Gerard were standing there, puzzled, he got something from it and gave them each that something. They were hats. Guard hats. Of course, they had to wear caps to hide their face as well as Gerard’s fucking fabulous hair. It could have sabotaged the entire plan if they were so conspicuous.

“Thanks.” Frank received the cap and put it on. It fitted okay, and when he looked in the mirror, he almost looked just like any other guard save the tattoos visible on this neck. ‘Oops,’ he thought, as he buttoned up his shirt to the very top and pushed the hat down.

Gerard did his hair up in something similar to a bun (which made Frank’s heart skip a beat) and tucked every strand carefully under the hat. He positioned it so that nearly none of the red was visible unless you concentrated really hard on the back of his head. For some unknown reason, now that the hair was completely out of the way, Frank felt an urge inside of him to bite that pale neck. It was weird, but it was there.

“How do I look?” Gerard turned around to ask him.

“Beautiful as ever,” Frank murmured in reply, not hearing what came out of his mouth.

“I meant do I look like a _guard_ , Frank.” Gerard rolled his eyes. Frank’s ears suddenly felt hotter than usual.

“Yeah. Yeah, you look fine. Can’t see red,” he answered and averted his gaze.

“I think we’re ready for real, then.” The redhead nodded and put his hands to his hips. At this point, he didn’t come off as nervous anymore. Frank figured he gained confidence as time progressed and they were actually cast in the scene of unlawful aberration. Seeing his lover unafraid to dive into the difficult step, Frank found a strange sort of placidity growing in his heart, too. He’d have to be alert for both their sakes, but having this peaceful, calm part in there to keep his head cool was always the best in any circumstance.

“Ready ready?” Ray asked.

“Ready ready.” Gerard nodded and shifted his stare to Frank. He also nodded.

“Good luck out there,” the guard blew final words of encouragement into their minds. He had their old clothes in his hands, probably to throw them out or do whatever to cover up their tracks including his.

Frank walked toward the door on the other side, hand in hand with Gerard. Before the door, he pulled his hand up to his lips and planted a tender kiss on the fingers, looking straight into the hazel eyes to convey wordless assurance and promise. Promise that he’d get them out of here, and beyond that, end his suffering once and for all. Gerard’s face heated up and faint roses blossomed on his cheeks. He looked like he was vacillating between wanting to cry and wanting to kiss him. To be honest, Frank was down for both, but knew there was a long way to go before they could do either of them. So he chose to smile instead.

“Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe there's gonna be four chapters in total, or maybe even five. I was aiming for three, but yeah, it's gonna be longer.  
> I will bring to you CH3 within a week. I need to make this promise so I don't keep anyone waiting for another five months...  
> Anyway, thanks for reading and I would really REALLY appreciate comments!  
> -NMx


	3. Emancipation (Or Not)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starring a little cameo from my other favorite band:)
> 
> I hope you like this chapter, because I did.  
> Enjoy!

_Frank thought he felt a teardrop running down his skin—and it was something that had never happened to him in years._

* * *

**TWO HOURS AGO**

It certainly felt bizarre, freely walking around the very place that was designed to incarcerate lawbreakers like him. So far, they had run into no one under the flickering fluorescent lights of the eerie hallway. Frank hoped it would be like that until they reached the vent. He tried to walk at a moderate pace nevertheless because they couldn’t afford arousing suspicion from guys behind the camera monitors. They were actually on their own now; they had to act at their own discretion with no buddies by them to help them through obstacles. Alone, Frank wouldn’t have worried too much. With Gerard, it was another story. Not that he blamed the redhead or anything for causing him stress.

Out of the blue, Gerard tripped on nothing. Frank’s heart jumped a little and he steadied his lover by grabbing his forearm. “You okay?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Gerard mumbled in response. There was a glint of shock and an apologetic look hanging in his eyes like he had just proved himself a total fuck-up. All he had done was lose his balance for a second. There was absolutely no need to beat himself about it.

Just as Frank was about to tell him exactly that, they heard footsteps coming their way from up ahead. The two froze in their spots for a short while, but Frank, quickly working things out, straightened up and motioned at Gerard for him to keep walking with his head down. Gerard nodded, face white from fright but lips showing determination, and followed Frank. They moved in reasonably quick strides before running into the approachers in the narrow hallway.

And when they did, both couldn’t hide the astonishment.

It was Tyler being led back to block 7 with a guard in tow. His wrists were cuffed, and there was a half-defeated, half-resentful grimace about his face. Frank could guess he had a private talk with the warden or the psychiatrist which probably did not go well by the looks of it. He was one of the inmates put under watch for their unstable mental health. He was also one of their closest friends in their block along with Josh. But not close enough to share the news of their upcoming escape.

Gerard quickly turned his head to the side to avoid meeting their friend’s eyes, but Frank wasn’t so lucky. Their gazes met when the distance between them closed into five yards. Tyler didn’t seem to recognize him at first, but then his head shot up again, brown eyes filled with bewilderment and questions. This was the first hurdle they’d have to jump.

“ _What are you doing?_ ” Tyler mouthed at him. Frank thanked every god that he knew of for him not just calling out his name and reporting to the guard behind him.

“ _Shh_ ,” was all Frank could mouth back as a reply. “ _Please_ ,” he added.

To their great relief, Tyler turned out to be no snitch. He barely nodded at Frank all the while seeming utterly baffled about what was unfolding before his eyes. Their clothes lightly brushed as they passed each other by, and Frank couldn’t help stealing a glance at the inmate’s back. He knew Tyler wouldn’t sell them out; as far as he knew, the guy was a trustworthy type. Fortunately, the guard behind him took no notice of any soundless conversation that had taken place between the two of them. The footsteps turned into echoes and soon dissipated altogether. Frank could finally breathe again.

“He wouldn’t tell anyone, would he?” Gerard nearly choked as he whispered to him.

“I don’t believe so,” Frank responded in a low voice. He couldn’t help feeling this tug of guilt in the back of his head, though. Tyler had been in prison for years, now, and while what he had done to receive such a sentence was atrocious in the eyes of the public, he himself was a soft, delicate creature though a bit bitter at times. It felt somewhat wrong to leave a close friend behind in search of their own freedom, but Frank made up his mind to not dwell on it. Since when was he so sympathetic? Maybe Gerard had softened him up during that one cuddly year.

They reached their corner without meeting more acquaintances on the way. Frank could see the entrance to the vent tunnel and sure, it was well above his head. Like Ray had told them, they would have to help each other out in order to successfully enter that vent.

“Quick, before anyone comes,” Frank pressed. They were standing in a blind spot, but still had no time to lose.

“Help me up. I’ll open it,” Gerard suggested.

So Frank knelt down on the floor and placed one hand on the wall for leverage while letting Gerard step on his shoulders. The redhead stood on top of him, legs a bit wobbly, and proceeded to get rid of the cover that veiled the tunnel beyond. He pulled at it a few times, sighing in anguish when it didn’t budge until it finally gave in and creaked open. Then he passed it down to Frank. Frank couldn’t really look up in this position, but fumbled at the air several times and then grabbed it. He made it lean against the wall next to him.

“Get inside right now,” Frank said.

“I…I need to be a little higher,” the younger requested.

“Okay.” Frank stood up a little, legs straining like crazy under him, so Gerard could climb into the opening. He was pretty strong, but maintaining the awkward posture between kneeling down and standing with another man literally on his shoulders was definitely not the easiest task. He exhaled a puff of breath when Gerard slipped inside with a slight clatter. “You good?”

“Yeah. But it’s super dark in here,” answered Gerard’s echoing voice. He sounded distant because of the effect the steel walls gave it.

“I have the flashlight. Wait a sec,” Frank told him as he pulled out the small flashlight from one of his pockets and put it between his teeth. Then using all of his strength, he gripped the edge of the entrance and pulled himself up. It was good that he had spent a lot of free time working out in their cell. Frank clawed his way in the vent, nearly losing his grip when he caught sight of Gerard’s eyes gleaming in the dark. The expression he had on—that combination of pure awe and horror at his brawn—was so funny for some reason. If it had not been an inappropriate time, Frank would have crashed back down laughing. Using his willpower, though, he got in and spent a few seconds catching his breath.

“I was going to help you up,” Gerard started, “but clearly you’re one strong brute.”

Frank swatted his hand. “It would’ve been really tricky, you wouldn’t have been able to turn around anyway.” Which was true. The tunnel was big enough to accommodate them, but it wasn’t big enough to let them move around as much as they pleased. “Here,” Frank said, passing the flashlight to his lover. Gerard took it and with a click, a sudden burst of luminance erupted in the darkness. Frank blinked a few times to adjust to the new brightness.

“Okay. Do you have the blueprint with you?”

“Yeah. It’s with me,” Frank assured him. “Do you remember the directions?”

“I think so, but I need an extra brain working with me so I don’t fuck up,” Gerard replied, shining his flashlight directly in Frank’s eyes. Although he shut them and ducked immediately, Frank swore he could sense Gerard grinning. He could get mischievous and a little sassy at times.

“The brain is behind you, so you can go now,” he insisted, grabbing Gerard’s calf and giving it a push forward.

“Alright. Enjoy the view, then.”

Frank paused and wondered what the hell that was supposed to connote, but understood right away when Gerard started scrambling his way down the path. Jesus Christ, could the redhead get more immature? Regardless, Frank couldn’t hide his smile as he did indulge in the view of Gerard’s ass as they inched forth.

Yes, it wasn’t anything like what they had seen in movies. The vent seemed to stretch on for miles. Aside from their knees and elbows hurting like crazy, the hardest part was trying to keep their volume as low as possible. It wasn’t like a soundproofing structure was built in with the ventilation system. Naturally, they made a lot of noise and consequently had to move swiftly yet strategically so the whole facility wouldn’t know they were breaking out. They also stopped a couple of times because Gerard just couldn’t continue on with a flashlight in his hand and a brain attempting to figure out where to go. Frank would have volunteered to take the lead, but there wasn’t sufficient room whatsoever to exchange their positions unless Frank suddenly morphed to Jell-O. So they went on.

“We’re at the fork,” Gerard announced as he halted. There were two separate ways leading to different destinations ahead of them.

“Ray said to take the right,” Frank replied.

“Are you sure? I thought he said left.”

“I’m pretty sure.”

“Check, just in case,” Gerard ordered.

Frank sighed, just a tiny bit annoyed at the fact that he had to shuffle out the paper hidden in his pocket, spread it, then read it in this terrible lighting. Not to mention how complicated the blueprint was. He was already sweating like he’d run a marathon and felt a little claustrophobic in this hell of a surrounding. But he did as the redhead told him to do anyway. What was he to do?

“So?”

“I was right,” Frank grinned at him in triumph. “Right, it is. _Then_ we take a left turn.”

“I told you, I need an extra brain working with me. I might’ve ended up in the shower room if I were alone,” Gerard mumbled and crawled toward the correct passage.

After what seemed like an hour, they finally arrived at the end of the tunnel. It got more spacious when they reached the fan so that now they could sit upright if they bowed their heads a little. Frank patted Gerard’s leg to catch his attention before they did, though, so he could send him an unspoken sign with his eyes to inform him that they need to be absolutely quiet. Just beyond the fan and the cover was the perimeter guard’s post. They couldn’t see right now, but there was a high chance someone was there. Gerard nodded back as an answer and sat cross-legged in front of the small box by the fan. Frank followed him and flipped out his mini screwdriver.

Without wasting any time, he worked on getting the lid open. It took a few tries because now they had to turn off the flashlight and the lights from outside weren’t so sufficient. At last, Frank got it open and carefully set it on the floor. The insides appeared to be slightly more intricate than the exterior. They shared a scowl at how the little wires were all tangled up and laced with dust.

“ _Blue_ ,” Frank mouthed. Gerard had the nipper at ready; he just didn’t appear to be ready.

“ _I know, but I can’t distinguish them_ ,” Gerard answered back using flustered gestures. He blew at the wires which resulted in a cloud of dust shooting right back at his face. Frank hastily clamped his hand over the redhead’s mouth so he wouldn’t cough outwardly. Gerard looked like he was about to die from suppressing the coughs.

Frank tapped his chest to suggest that he’ll do it and tried to take the nipper away from him but Gerard clutched the instrument tightly in his hand, delivering a firm no. He couldn’t fully comprehend why, but he could guess this guy was fixated on getting something done by himself. After all, he hadn’t been capable of making his own decisions and achieving something remarkable in a long time. Too long. So Frank let the younger lean in again, this time holding his breath, and cut one of the springy cables.

To be honest, Frank half-expected all hell to break loose. Being the ‘technically smart’ one, he was afraid Gerard might mess it up in this poor environment. But to his immense joy, the fan slowly whirred to a stop. The redhead looked at him, eyes twinkling gleefully and a content smile displayed on his lips. Once again Frank had to smother that drive to kiss that damn cute creature.

Now with the stationary fan, they had option a) climb out through the space in between, b) take it apart and safely get to the exit, and c) kick the shit out of the fan along with the cover to clash down into the room. They both knew option A was out of the question. Neither was slender enough to slide through the narrow space. It would only allow children to go through. So they had B and C left, each with upsides and downsides. B would take too long, or might not work, but it would guarantee safety to some extent. C would be quick and efficient, but they could be shot dead before they could recover. Or worse, sent back.

“ _What do you think?_ ” Frank asked.

Gerard put his hand to his chin, musing both possibilities. Then he pointed at the screwdriver in Frank’s hand.

“ _The safe way?_ ”

He nodded.

Frank decided to comply. He evaluated how long it would take for them to get the structure completely out of the way. A bit too long, maybe. Still, he got to work.

As no plan in the world could go perfectly as planned, a calamity befell the two potential escapees. When Frank was working on the fourth screw, something disastrous happened. Gerard’s nipper tumbled out of his pocket and landed on the steel floor with an inevitable racket. The noise reverberated throughout the tunnel and seeped out through the vent exit. Frank’s panicked gaze shifted over to Gerard, and the redhead returned that gaze with the looks of a deer caught in the headlights—so deeply horrified and deeply remorseful that _he_ felt so fucking sorry.

“What the _hell_ was that?” a voice outside exclaimed. Well, at least now they knew someone was there.

“Oh, fuck it,” Frank growled, then sliding back to free his legs, struck the fan with all his might. It didn’t give at the first try.

“I’m so fucking sorry!” Gerard apologized in a tearful voice as he helped Frank smash the fan out of the way. They both kicked, and it worked this time. Both the fan and the lid flew out from the impact, raining down on the person who stood below it. Now that the obstructions were gone, they could see the scene unraveled below. An armed guard was ducking from the sudden intrusion of metal objects and promptly recovering.

“What the _fu_ —”

Just before the man was able to finish his exclamation of puzzlement and disconcertion, Frank jumped out of the opening and presented his face the taste of his shoes. The guy was knocked out cold from the first blow and his head having been collided with the granite floor. Frank staggered to his feet and exhaled a deep breath, shaking his dusty hands and cracking his neck. Well, this was anticlimactic.

“Watch out!”

The arsonist barely dove out of the way as _another_ guard took a shot at him with a taser gun. Had it not been for Gerard, he would have taken that shit like an idiot and been dragged straight to solitary. Why didn’t he think there would be two guards at one post? These lot seldom worked alone! Frank cursed at himself for overlooking that idea.

“This is Davidson. I have two—”

The guard failed to deliver the message because Gerard had hurled his goddamn nipper right at his face and he stumbled backward from the impact. Not letting this chance go to waste, Frank sprang up from behind his barricade, grabbed the blacked-out guard’s taser, and shot the other on the chest. However, to his dismay, he seemed to be wearing a special type of vest that blocked out the taser bullet’s effect. The guard was only sent back two steps and then reached for his actual gun strapped to his belt. Frank was quite sure he was doomed.

He hadn’t heard Gerard slipping down on the ground from the vent. His mind was busy imagining how he would die right here before getting to accomplish anything. Before avenging his lover and even getting out of the confinement facility. But there was Gerard, blurring past him with the chipped fan in hand and bashing it down on the guard’s head. The guard had his gun half out of the holster. And then he was out cold on the ground. Slumped against the door like a sack of wheat. Frank stared at the redhead’s back, eyes widened in disbelief and overall unable to register what the fuck had just happened.

But when Gerard turned back to face him, cap gone and hair disheveled, he couldn’t look more horrified. “Did I kill him? Did I kill him, Frank? Oh my god, I can’t see, oh my god—”

Frank didn’t respond. Not in words, anyway. He walked up to him, grabbed the back of his head, and crashed their lips together for that damn kiss he’d been wanting for ever so long. Gerard flinched at first but soon adjusted to his lustful ferocity and wrapped his arms around Frank’s neck. So the two spent a full three minutes kissing and making out amidst the disarray of debris and fallen bodies. It was chaotic and Frank _loved_ it.

The older broke it off first and then stepped over the guard’s leg to check his pulse. It was still there. Gerard wasn’t officially a murderer yet.

“Is he…?”

“He’s fine, you’re fine,” Frank assured him. He snapped the card from the guy’s chest and handed it to Gerard.

“Thanks…”

He then took a look at the vest he was wearing. It was sort of bulletproof and it would definitely come in handy. He ripped it off the listless body and also the belt with the gun.

“What was that about?” Gerard asked. He sounded nervous.

“What?” Frank asked back, also handing those two items to his boyfriend. Gerard took them but looked at the gun as if it were a foreign alphabet he couldn’t read.

“You know…the…”

“Kiss?” Frank guessed.

“Yeah.” The redhead blushed furiously like they hadn’t had sex a hundred times already.

“You were so fucking hot, that’s what,” Frank curtly replied. He smirked at the boy. “I’d have died if it weren’t for you. Also, apology accepted.”

“What? Oh.” Gerard blinked as he came to the realization that it was about him dropping that godforsaken nipper. At the end of the day, however, it did save both of them from getting caught. So Frank forgave the nipper, too.

“You need help with that?” Frank suggested. Gerard was still awkwardly holding the vest and the belt in his hands.

“No, I’m good. You put on yours.”

“’Kay.”

They took as little time as possible reinforcing their means of defense _and_ offense because they weren’t in the safe zone anymore. Time was gaining on them and there was a possibility the man at the other end of Davidson’s line could have caught on something. Frank picked up Gerard’s cap, brushed off the white flakes, and passed it to him. Gerard’s face lit up a little as he took it. Frank was maybe a little sorry he couldn’t see the boy’s crimson hair for a while (it honestly looked a thousand times hotter when messy and tousled) but at the same time, hiding it under the hat would reveal that delicious neck. He involuntarily licked his lip when the sight of Gerard’s bare neck flashed across his vision once again. They’d try something new involving that later on if they made it alive through everything.

“Let’s go, now. We’re almost there.” Frank clapped once.

“Okay, I think I’m ready.”

Kicking the guard out of the way, Frank cautiously opened the door and looked left and right. He could see a few people down the hallway but they weren’t too close. If they just keep a low profile, they would be able to escape through the back door without getting detected. He stepped outside in a seemingly nonchalant manner and beckoned Gerard to do the same behind his back. They once again walked on foot, side by side and alert.

The first heavy door welcomed them. There was a surveillance camera above it, so Frank pushed his hat down as low as it could go and used his card to open it. He couldn’t conceal that delighted smile when the screen above the keypad read ‘ACCESS GRANTED’. It really did feel like he was sucked into an action movie all of a sudden.

They walked on, passing by a guard and a reporter who appeared to be investigating some kind of a felony or a riot that happened in block 9. It was none of Frank’s business, so he expunged it from his mind. They didn’t let up the pace until they reached the last door hindering their escape from the building. There was no lock for this door. Frank looked at Gerard. Gerard shrugged. Together, they pushed it open and let the orange light of dusk fill their vision.

Gerard breathed in the air beside him. It was quite fresh, considering how there was a forest right beside the facility. He grinned from ear to ear as he provided Frank a peck on the cheek. “We made it.”

“Not so fast, baby,” Frank pointed at the fence in front of them. He couldn’t help smiling, too, though. The warmth of the redhead’s lips seared into his cheek. The scenery laid out before them made it all the more romantic.

The two runaways waded through the overgrown grass and reached the long line of the fence. It was twice Frank’s height, and there were barbed wires on top of it. They walked along the edge until they came to the metal door that was now the only thing standing between them and genuine freedom. The gloom of the woods beyond was boring into them through the spaces between the intertwined wires as if daring them to make it that far. Frank didn’t like to think it came off as foreboding. He just wanted to focus on the bright side right now. Bright like fire.

“I’ll let you do the honor of opening this door,” Frank gestured at the keypad.

Gerard raised his eyebrow, moved. “Why, thank you.”

He held up his card and pressed it against the sensor. It took about three seconds before the screen beeped and blinked a happy ‘ACCESS GRANTED’. Oh, was it music to their ears. Snapping his fingers once, Gerard turned the knob and swung it open with a strong push.

“Well?” Frank beamed at his boyfriend.

“Well, let’s run,” Gerard tilted his head toward the forest.

And they did.

Frank tossed his cap and Gerard’s into the little stream that they hopped over. They served no purpose now. He also unbuttoned two from his shirt so that he could breathe more easily and the tattoos would be more visible. Hiding the tattoos was like hiding a large part of himself. He didn’t like hiding who he was—even when he was being arrested, knowing that there would be no way out, he let everyone know who he was and what he did.

They entered the murk of the woods with a jog and then stopped a few yards in because it was getting _really_ dark. Gerard fumbled for his flashlight and flicked it on. They weren’t sure how far they had to go in because Ray hadn’t actually given them the exact location, but figured it wouldn’t be that far. Frank took out a makeshift radio which had its frequency adjusted to the gang’s channel and gave a few attempts to speak into it. On the first several tries, only static noise answered back. Frank gave it a few taps and tried again.

“Hello? This is Iero and Way. Is anyone at the end of the line?” He waited a few seconds. Gerard held his breath. “Hello? We’re Ray Toro’s friends. Are you there?”

Nothing. Frank clicked his tongue and Gerard was visibly distressed. They came all the way here, for this? Where were these men Ray spoke of? What were they to do? They were seriously running out of time. Judging from the looks of the sky, the sun had immersed itself deep underneath the horizon. Even if Ray had taken care of things, their disappearance had to have been notified to _some_ people right now. Mostly inmates.

Just then, the static noise from the radio shifted and a shattered voice of a human oozed out from the speaker. Frank put the device to his mouth and spoke again. “I can’t hear you, but we’re here. We need your help. Can you speak again?”

The radio was silent again for a while and then jumped to life. Still, the voice was incomprehensible. Maybe they were too far, or something was blocking the frequency. Frank moved forward and Gerard tagged along beside him. They were both more than eager to find the source of the voice.

“Goddamn it, I can’t hear them for shit,” Frank cursed. They walked five more minutes before they tried the radio once more. At this point, they couldn’t see anything except for the parts that the flashlight was shedding light on, and even the flashlight was starting to dim. If it were to die now, shit would go down.

“Let me try this time,” Gerard said in a soothing voice as he gently took the radio from Frank. Frank ran his hand through his hair in subtle frustration. “Hello? Are you there? Are you close? Can you speak to us?”

This time, it took only two seconds before the voice popped up. “Iero? Are you Frank Iero?” The man spoke clearly.

Gerard looked at Frank in satisfaction. “No, this is Gerard Way speaking.”

“Are you Way?” The voice asked again.

“Yes, I am. And we were told you were gonna help us.” Gerard reached for Frank’s hand. Frank clasped his fingers around his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

“Good. Where are you?”

“We’re uh—,” Gerard brought the end of the flashlight upwards and shone it around the canopy of trees. “We can’t exactly say where we are because we don’t know where the hell we are, but I’m shining my flashlight around, if you can see it.”

They waited ten seconds in the uneasy, tense silence but no more reply came. Not even the static noise. Frank got a feeling in his guts that something was terribly wrong. He couldn’t quite grasp what it was, but it was at this moment that the foreboding glimpse of the forest entrance came back to him and struck him hard. His hunch was hardly ever wrong.

An abrupt sound of air whistling shot past Frank’s ear. He frantically looked around, befuddled, every sense of his body on edge.

“Frank…?” Gerard’s soft voice echoed in the dark. It was quivering. And it instantly made Frank’s heart drop.

There was a tranq dart embedded deep in his neck.

Even in the pitch blackness, Gerard’s terrified face stood out prominently like an apparition in his nightmares. Frank gasped as his lover fell over into his arms, losing control of his body as well as mind. When Frank sat down on the ground cradling the redhead, the boy was already unconscious and breathing shallow. The flashlight died as soon as it hit the ground, and Frank was altogether enveloped in the dark. He couldn’t react immediately; he was so shocked and unable to process what to do. Someone had attacked them. Someone had put Gerard to sleep. Someone was coming, and it was _not_ a friend.

He didn’t have to wonder long. A circle of lights surrounded him at once. It was so bright Frank had to cover his eyes with his free arm. Meanwhile, the other arm held onto Gerard firmly, as if it would do any good for protecting him from a band of foes. Frank really hated how his guts were always right and how he didn’t do anything about it.

“That’s the one! The one with the red hair!” a gruff voice shouted. Frank finally adapted to the light and tried to see who it was. He hugged his lover more tightly and put up his gun to show that he was willing to fight.

“Don’t come near! I’ll fucking shoot you dead!” he bellowed.

A burst of laughter answered him. “That’s Iero. The puny arsonist.”

“Do we kill him?” someone else asked. Frank’s blood ran cold. He was surrounded by at least a dozen men. He knew he had no chance against them. If he died, then Gerard would never be safe. He could easily guess these men were from the mob. Oh god, the promises he had made to the boy…

“No, jackass. We were strictly told not to kill him, remember?” the first voice spat out.

The circle closed in even more. Frank was frantic. He didn’t know what to do. He’d shoot someone, but then he was afraid of what would happen if he did. He might break this tension and they would just decide to kill both of them instead. If only he had fire…If only he had gasoline and a lighter, they’d be fucking dead, but now, he was helpless. The weight of Gerard in his arms felt heavier and heavier as he grew more clueless and helpless.

“I said I’ll fucking shoot!” he tried.

“Well, he does have a gun,” one said to another.

“Tranq him,” the supposed leader of the group flatly commanded. Every neuron in Frank’s brain screamed _No_ but he was left in the hands of fate now. The hand holding the gun was trembling. He couldn’t lose consciousness. He just couldn’t. He had to be by Gerard’s side, to watch over him and help him out of the massive fuckery. The pure despair and anguish from having been betrayed by an ally he trusted burned his veins. “Now. We’re taking him, too.”

He didn’t even feel the prick. It just felt numb all over when it hit his neck. The real drug took a few seconds to kick in, but when it did, his grip around Gerard slackened and he fell on his side, the body numbing before the mind. Everything appeared to be hazy and dreamy around him. It was like treading on a cloud made of putrid gas and thorns. Footsteps of the assailants boomed against his ear touching the ground like thunderclaps and he vaguely felt his lover being pulled out of his arms. Despite his will fighting with all it had against the drug now flowing in his blood vessels, it was physically impossible to defeat it. Frank thought he felt a teardrop running down his skin—and it was something that had never happened to him in years. One last sentence sparked across his mind before it sank entirely underwater.

_‘God, we’re fucked.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? I really want to hear your opinions!  
> There might be just one more chapter or two depending on how long it gets. I aim for 4-5000 words for each chapter. Hope you're liking the journey so far:D
> 
> I'll see you in a week or less!


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